Restoration economy. Restorative agriculture. Two hopeful sides of the same coin for returning humanity to a less precarious future on our precious Blue Planet. Both of these can and should play a formative role in our future economies here in Northwest Colorado.

Here’s how:

A recent editorial shed light on how we can develop our economy while healing the scars left behind by the extractive carbon corporations — putting unemployed miners and drillers back to work reclaiming closed coal mines and plugging up idled or low-producing oil and gas wells. Thousands and thousands of high-wage jobs could be available immediately.

Sen. Michael Bennet of Colorado crafted a bill that, having stalled last year but now having a very good chance of going forward, will increase the bonds that create incentive for companies to clean up their messes while creating a fund for plugging abandoned wells. This win-win for the economy and the environment stands to be a boon to our communities hit hard by the shift away from carbon-intensive energy sources.

As for restorative agriculture, a powerful way to draw down carbon and combat climate change, I recommend watching a very positive and hopeful movie called “Kiss the Ground.” It shows how we can feel good about our food choices when they are sourced sustainably. Among other good news, it shows how grass-raised cattle can actually be good for the environment, especially welcome after the recent brouhaha over “MeatIn vs. MeatOut.”

Pam Pierce

Steamboat Springs